Saturday, July 5, 2014

Lenny Langone, Richie's friend, speaks:

Introduction by Richie Diener's best friend, Lenny Langone:

"My name is Lenny. I was Richie's best friend when his life was taken away by his father. I know how it all went down on the night that it happened. He did not have to be killed. Richie's father was not a nice man. He didn't like any of Richie's friends."
                                                                          
Lenny passed away in 2010. His parents got him help after Richie was shot to death by his father, an expert marksman, when Richie was under the influence of disabling drugs and could barely stand up.

Lenny was successful in the printing business, and became a loving husband and wonderful father to his two children.  
              
You can find comments by Lenny on this blog. Lenny never got over Richie's death. He saw the good side in Richie, and knew that Richie, had he lived, would have overcome drug abuse.
              
You are welcome to post a comment on this blog.

Please include your state or country; it emphasizes the fact that addiction exists everywhere.

23 comments:

  1. My mother was friends with Richie as well,
    Her name is RoseAnn Hammargren

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    1. WHO WAS THE GIRL SUE IN THE LIFE MAGAZINE ARTICLE WHO WAS PHOTOGRAPHED LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW? SHE KNEW RICHIE.

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    2. Susan bernstein

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  2. I remember watching this on TV and my mom was also watching. I was on the couch in back of her quietly crying throughout the movie. I was so struck by the parents trying to help Richie and get him help. My parents never did anything like that for me.

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  3. I remember the movie when it aired in 1977 on NBC and I was a senior in high school in Indiana. I didn't watch it, however it was the main topic of conversation the next day. All the students seemed to side with Richie. A common phrase I heard was, "His father didn't give him a chance." What was the story of what really happened? Heaven only knows.

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  4. Lets face it the dad was a hero he stopped his son from massacring the rest of his family. Richie was the neighbourhood bully and his druggie friends were just as bad.

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  5. George Diener Snr I salute you sir for protecting your family from a drug crazed son you had no control over. You'll always be a hero in my book sir. RIP my friend.

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    1. I don't see George as a hero. He was an excellent marksman and should have shot to injure Richie only. Richie was high and could barely stand as seen in the movie which was approved by George Diener. He took aim and killed his son. I was not a friend of Richie but he seemed personable and nice enough in the halls of EMHS. I clearly remember when a friend walked into class and she told us. This was a devastating tragedy and nightmare for everyone in East Meadow. It haunts me to this day.

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    2. You don't know what you're talking about. There's no shooting to "injure" or wound someone outside of TV or the movies.

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    3. Somebody here went to military school. Wasn't there 9-1-1 by this time? George was responsible for the murder of his son and should have done time. Call it aggravated if you want, but if Richie could barely stand, how is that a fair fight? Whoever wrote the wikipedia article has sure picked sides. "Inside, a villain named 17-year-old Richie" ... That's not even good writing. No one is named 17-year-old anything, and villain isa loaded word. What about George's villainy? He knew that family therapy was needed and wouldn't participate. He didn't do all he could do to save his son, because it hurt his ultra-conservative Nixon-voting pride.

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  6. I feel for the entire Diener family. I find this to be a sad preventable tragedy. I reccomend the book over the made for tv movie. This is a lesson on how the courts, law enforcement, the school and the family failed Richie. Most importantly Richie failed Richie. There are a million missed opportunities to of prevented how Richie's life ended. I have empathy for all those who were a part of Richie's life.

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    1. Barbara, what was the name of Sue/Sheila who was photographed looking out the window?

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  7. Reminds me of the BH Love case, after they found the graffiti.

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  8. Ritchie flopped out, he was a walking talking she'll of an individual, George Diener did the right and only thing he could to protect the rest of his family.

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    Replies
    1. Your politics sounds as if you're grown up. However, until you learn how to spell, especially in the day of "spell check," I care very little for what you have to say! Time to go back to the drawing board.



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  9. https://youtu.be/D6_U-jiLXxc
    I would like to dedicate Gene Clark's American Dreamer to George Diener, we salute you sir, you have no fault my friend

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  10. I lost that article decades ago and do not remember so could not tell you who she is. I'm sure there are many people who could answer that. It's a tragic and painful part of our formative years and I would rather remember the good years and the joys of growing up on LI.

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  11. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izxDbT-wqhk

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  12. All this calling George Diener "sir" and everything. Seems like a few people here went to military school and voted for Nixon. I'm sorry, but one can shoot to injure, not to kill. The police do it all the time. Richie's problem wasn't drugs. It was an overbearing father and anger he couldn't express but masked with drugs. I still say Diener used unnecessary force, "sir". And who says Richie was trying to massacre his whole family? The fight was between father and son.

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    Replies
    1. No the police don’t. They are trained to go for center mass to incapacitate an deadly attacker as quickly as possible.

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    2. Total bullshit his problem wasn’t drugs what a joke

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  13. George Diener thankyou for your service sir. We salute you sir. You are an American Hero. Amen to you sir, amen

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